A one-vehicle auto accident on May 25 claimed the life of a 35-year-old woman from Patterson, Louisiana. The woman was a passenger in the front seat of a 2007 Toyota Rav4, which was driven by a 46-year-old man from Gibson.
According to Louisiana State Police Troop C reports, the accident occurred about 5:30 a.m. The vehicle was traveling west on Deadwood Road in Terrebonne Parish when it left the right side of the roadway and hit a tree. The woman was not wearing a safety belt and was thrown into the windshield of the SUV. She died at the scene of the accident.
The driver was also not wearing a safety belt. Volunteer firefighters had to extricate the man from the vehicle. He was taken to Thibodaux Regional Medical Center. Police report he suffered moderate injuries.
Authorities said the driver lost control of the vehicle in a sharp curve and the driver may have been impaired. The Louisiana State Police Crime Lab will conduct testing on blood samples taken from the driver to determine if he was impaired, but the accident is still under investigation. There is no word if charges are pending at this time.
Even if criminal charges are not filed against the driver, the family of the woman who was killed may have a wrongful death case against him. A personal injury attorney would be able to explain the types of damages the woman’s family may seek in this type of case and advise them on the best way to proceed. If it is determined the driver acted with recklessness or negligence, the family could be awarded financial compensation for the loss of their loved one, as well as for funeral expenses, loss of consort, and other damages.
Source: houmatoday.com, “Passenger dies in SUV crash” No author given, May. 25, 2013
